It’s no surprise that K-pop has grown to become a phenomenon in the U.S. With a rise in international music, it would only take little time for the genre to enter the Western market.
For a little background: K-pop trainees are selected either from auditions to individual entertainment companies or by street casting. From then on, if you are selected and pass the audition, an average trainee spends about two-and-a-half years training in singing, rap, dance and, sometimes, acting before making their debut.
A debut isn’t guaranteed, and they typically fall through, or a trainee may not be selected for that group. Then, they would have to wait a few more years for the opportunity again or switch companies entirely.
It’s a competitive career path, and it’s only for those willing to make sacrifices. However, the talent that comes out of those training periods is unmatched.
Today, we’re here to help give you a deep dive into the world of K-pop. Here’s 10 groups to get you into the genre:
BTS
If you’ve heard of K-pop, then you’ve definitely heard of BTS. The seven member group (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook) jump-started their company to fame with hit songs such as “I Need You” and “Blood Sweat and Tears.” BTS broke into the Western music scene in 2017 with its song “DNA” and has since been a hot topic internationally.
If you’re interested in grunge and darker concepts, check out its older music like “Danger.” If you like lighter and more emotional sounds, “Spring Day” is a fan favorite.
BLACKPINK
Another group you may have heard of already, BLACKPINK, is a four-member girl group under YG Entertainment. It consists of Kim Jisoo, Jennie Kim, Roseanne Park — also known as Rosé — and Lalisa Manobal (aka Lisa). The name BLACKPINK comes from the idea that the group wants to contradict the typical view of the color pink by saying that pink and being pretty isn’t everything.
The group’s name also correlates with the concepts for its music videos. “BLACK” concepts are girl crush and mature (“Boombayah” and “Playing with Fire”) while “PINK” concepts are more girly and bright (“Whistle” and “As if it’s Your Last”).
Seventeen
Seventeen is self-producing, creating its own music and choreography. Its name comes from the fact there are 13 members (S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, The8, Mingyu, DK, Vernon, Seungkwan and Dino); it is divided into three sub-units (hip-hop, performance and vocals); and it is one team, adding up to 17. Seventeen is also known for its impressive synchronization and intricate dances.
It recently had a comeback with the track “Rock With You,” which is considered to be in the genre of new wave/post-punk. “Home” is sentimental future bass, “Trauma” is done by the hip-hop unit with a rap-heavy feel and “Pinwheel” is a soulful ballad by the vocal unit.
Twice
Seen as one of the most popular K-pop girl groups in South Korea, Twice is a nine-member group (Jihyo, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu) under JYP Entertainment. The group was created on the survival reality show Sixteen that showcased 16 trainees’ talents and personalities before being chosen for the final nine-person lineup.
Twice’s main concepts are cheerful and colorful with songs like “TT” and “Cheer Up.” It also has dipped into a more elegant and mature image with “Fancy” and “Feel Special.”
NCT
NCT stands for Neo Culture Technology, and the group’s premise is that it has an infinite number of members who continuously change in and out of sub-units from around the world. As of right now, NCT has 23 members (Taeyong, Taeil, Johnny, Yuta, Kun, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, WinWin, Jungwoo, Lucas, Mark, Xiaojun, Hendery, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, YangYang, Shotaro, Sungchan, Chenle and Jisung). However, NCT is ever-expanding and constantly creating new units.
The current subunits are: NCT U (a rotational unit with no set lineup), NCT 127 (Seoul, South Korea-based with a set nine-person lineup), NCT Dream (a teen-aged unit with seven members and a youthful concept) and WayV (its Chinese branch with seven members).
Itzy
The little sister group of Twice, Itzy is also under JYP Entertainment and debuted in 2019. It is a five-member group consisting of Hwang Yeji, Choi Jisu (also known as Lia), Shin Ryujin, Lee Chaeryeong and Shin Yuna. Despite having a large fanbase since its debut two years ago, the group is considered fairly new to the industry.
They also have a girl crush concept that focuses on self-love. Check out its debut song, “Dalla Dalla,” along with “Wannabe,” “Not Shy” and “Icy.”
EXO
The older brother group of NCT, EXO is under SM Entertainment. The group is the oldest one on the list, having debuted in 2012. It is considered one of the most popular boy groups in South Korea and is viewed as having helped pioneer the genre. Though it originally debuted with 12 members, it is currently a nine-member group (Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun).
Songs like “Growl” and “Call Me Baby” are just a few that are seen as staples to the genre. “Monster” and “Love Me Right” are also fan favorites.
Loona
If you’ve seen “Stan Loona” anywhere, this is where it comes from. Loona is a 12-member girl group (Haseul, Vivi, Yves, Jinsoul, Kim Lip, Chuu, Heejin, Hyunjin, Gowon, Choerry, Olivia Hye and Yeojin) under Blockberry Creative.
The group is known for its in-depth concept and lore (the loonaverse) that helps comprise its subunits: Loona ⅓ (members who live on earth), ODD EYE CIRCLE (members that live in ‘middle earth,’ which is the place between earth and space) and YYXY (members that inhabit a utopia known as Eden that transcends earth and middle earth).
ATEEZ
The newest boy group on the list, Ateez is an eight-member group composed of Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung and Jongho under KQ Entertainment. Its debuted in 2018 with “Treasure” and “Pirate King.”
The group is known for its powerful and explosive performances due to its partial training in the U.S. as well as its connection and mindset of catering to international fans. Ateez is also known to release two tracks with every comeback, such as “Illusion” and “Wave.”
StayC
Debuting in 2020, StayC is the newest girl group on the list. However, it’s made an impact with fans and is getting deemed “monster rookies.” Under High Up Entertainment, StayC has six members and is composed of Bae Sumin, Park Sieun, Lee Chaeyoung (also known as Isa), Yoon Seeun, Sim Jayun (aka Yoon) and Jang Yeeun (who goes by J).
It made an intense debut with the lead single “So Bad” but more recently gained notable traction with “ASAP.” Its most recent song, “Stereotype,” has gained popularity as well.
Here’s a Spotify playlist to all of the songs mentioned:
